Various communication networks include satellites that provide spot beams or cells on a geographic area. A spot beam is a signal that is transmitted by an antenna and generally covers a limited geographic area on Earth. Spot beams allow satellites to transmit different data signals using a similar frequency. Because satellites typically have a limited number of available frequencies for use, one or more frequencies may be re-used with respect to different geographical locations in order to allow a greater number of channels to be utilized.
Medium Earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary/geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) satellites include phased array antennas that are used to provide coverage areas through multiple spot beams (such as hundreds of spot beams). The satellites may use frequency reuse patterns. In a frequency reuse pattern, frequencies allocated to a particular application are reused in a regular pattern of spot beams or cells. Frequency reuse increases both coverage and capacity. Adjacent cells use different frequencies. Notably, however, different cells that are distant from one another may operate using the same frequency. The distance between the two adjacent cells using the same frequency is great enough to prevent (or reduce to acceptable levels) any interference between the two cells.
Satellite spot beams or cells cover relatively large geographic areas with limited bandwidth. For example, a spot beam or cell may have a diameter between 80 to 400 km. Because each spot beam or cell is relatively large, one spot beam or cell may cover a densely populated area, while another spot beam or cell may cover a remote, rural area, for example. As can be appreciated, communication needs within a densely populated urban area are greater than those in sparsely populated rural areas. A spot beam that covers a densely populated area may be insufficient to meet data transmission demands within the area. As such, communication resources within the less populated areas may be underutilized, while there may simply not be enough communication resources within areas of higher density population.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method of efficiently allocating communication resources within a communication network.